


World on Fire

by Hovercraft79



Series: Hecate's Summer Playlist [5]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Hecate's ever-present self esteem issues, discussions of bullying, injuries, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 05:50:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15285045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hovercraft79/pseuds/Hovercraft79
Summary: Just as Hecate begins to find her footing in her new life with an old love and an expanded family, a dangerous new enemy threatens to rip it all apart.





	World on Fire

**Author's Note:**

> This story continues Hecate’s adventures over one fateful summer. It is the 5th installment of my take on the Summer Trope Challenge. It will make much more sense if you’ve read the first ones. The title comes from the Sarah McLachlan song. I’ve also borrowed a few lyrics from Train’s Hey, Soul Sister for an impromptu dance party.  
> Again, thanks to Sparky, who is still editing my fics. I keep promising her that they will be shorter, but she knows I’m probably lying.

**Chapter 1**

Hecate studied her reflection in the mirror. Still too skinny, she thought. Wearing only a pair of black stretchy lounge pants and a bra, she could see her ribs and collarbones sticking through her pale skin. Skin that was looser now than it had been the last time anyone had seen so much of it. She brushed her hand over the rough skin of the scar stretching across her side just below her ribcage. The skin was still an angry pink but healing now. After a little more than a week at Julie Hubble’s she was finally starting to feel like herself. No, she corrected, thinking about the letter in the black envelope that had appeared on her nightstand yesterday morning, she was feeling better than herself.

Pippa loved her. She knew every dark moment, every failing, every regret from Hecate’s life and she loved her anyway. Pippa wanted to live happily-ever-after with her.

As if that wasn’t magic enough, her powers had returned as strong as ever. Even though the Great Wizard had insisted that they refrain from using their magic, Hecate had been practicing little spells, like doing her hair or summoning objects. She’d transferred from Mildred’s bedroom into the kitchen three times. At breakfast they’d talked about when she might move back to Cackle’s. She’d been shocked to realize that she would miss being with Pippa and the Hubbles.

“You look as beautiful as I remember, Hiccup.” Pippa’s eyes met hers in the mirror as she leaned against the bathroom door.

She hadn’t heard Pippa walk in the bathroom. “I look old, Pip.” Hecate held her arms at her sides, forcing herself not to cover up under Pippa’s gaze.

“Nonsense. That girl from Amulet’s was lovely, no doubt about it. But the woman she grew into? Magnificent.” Pippa smiled at the flush she could see beginning on Hecate’s chest. Not wanting to make Hecate uncomfortable, she turned her attention to her injury. “Your side looks better, lots better.” She knelt beside her and ghosted her fingers across it, smiling at the goosebumps that appeared on Hecate’s skin. “Did it start healing faster once your magic started coming back?”

“I think so. I think the spell that keeps you from using magic to heal it may be like a time spell. It’s still going to leave a scar, though.”

“Mm-hmm.” Pippa pressed a quick kiss to Hecate’s side before hoisting herself back to her feet. “Good thing I think scars are sexy, then.” She headed back to the hallway. “Julie should be home in a couple of hours. We thought we’d get started on dinner.”

An hour later Hecate was stirring the sauce for their pasta when a bouncy song started playing on the radio.

 

> _Your sweet moonbeam, the smell of you in every single dream I dream,_
> 
> _I knew when we collided, you’re the one I have decided, who’s one of my kind._

Barefoot, Pippa began tapping her toes to the music, then swaying, finally giving in and bumping her hip into Hecate. The potions mistress looked at her, rolled her eyes and went back to stirring her sauce. Not to be deterred, Pippa grabbed Mildred by the hand and twirled her around the tiny kitchen, singing along at the top of her lungs.

 

> _Hey, soul sister, ain’t that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo? The way you move ain’t fair, you know?_
> 
> _Hey, soul sister, I don’t wanna miss a single thing you do tonight._

After her third spin, Mildred caught Hecate’s hand and pulled her away from the stove. Pippa spun each of them around until Mildred ducked under Pippa’s arm, dragging Hecate behind her until she came face-to-face with Pippa, who pulled her in and kept on dancing.

 

> _Way you can cut a rug, watching you’s the only drug I need._
> 
> _So gangster, I’m so thug, you’re the only one I’m dreaming of._

Hecate laughed as Pippa pounded her own chest while she sang about being a thug.

 

> _You see I can be myself now finally, in fact there’s nothing I can’t be._
> 
> _I want the world to see you’ll be with me._

 

Julie paused in the doorway, watching Pippa work her magic on Hecate and Mildred. She’d never say it out loud, but she’d been more than a little apprehensive about having Hecate recover at her house. Wound tight under the best of circumstances, Hecate had managed to relax and open up, and Julie knew that was due in no small part to the blonde witch currently spinning her around the kitchen.

“What’s the matter, Millie-bear? You aren’t dancing?”

“Mum!” Mildred gave the sauce one last stir before hugging her mother. “I was, but I swapped HB in instead.”

“Good girl, sometimes she needs a little nudge.” The song wound down so Julie lowered the volume. “I should have known this is how it would be – I trudge off to work and you lot have a party. Life just isn’t fair!” She gave Mildred’s braid a flick. “Can you handle things in the kitchen while I have a word with Hecate and Pippa?” When Mildred nodded, Julie pulled them into her bedroom and closed the door.

“I know we talked about you heading back to Cackle’s this morning, but…” She pulled a folded paper out of her pocket. “The hospital wants to send me to Frankfurt for a symposium on health and safety procedures. The girl scheduled to go came down with strep so I’m a last-minute sub. I thought I’d see if you’d have a go as Millie’s full-time magic mum for a few days.”

“B-b-by myself? Take care of Mildred by myself?”

“She’s hardly an infant, Hiccup,” Pippa reminded her gently. “Even though I have to go to Pentangles during the day, I’ll still come back each evening.”

Hecate took a deep breath and nodded. “Of course, I will. It would be my privilege.”

Julie wrapped an arm around Hecate’s shoulders, ignoring how she stiffened. “You’ll be fine, love.” She squeezed a bit tighter before letting Hecate go.

“Are we going to tell her about…magic mum?”

Julie shook her head. “I still want to do it properly, have a real family dinner, and make a celebration out of it.”

“And that includes Ada,” Pippa added. Hecate’s grateful smile was all the confirmation Pippa needed that including Ada was the right choice. Hecate deserved all the family she could get.

They went back to the kitchen just in time to see Mildred floating the pot of boiling pasta to the sink and magically tipping the contents into a colander. Julie and Hecate both started to tell her to be careful, but Pippa clamped a hand over each mouth just in time.

Pippa waited until the pot had settled back on the counter before calling out “Well done, Mildred!” Mildred turned to look back at them, her proud grin lighting up her face. “Wasn’t that a textbook moving spell, Hiccup?”

Hecate started to say something about the unauthorized use of magic, but Mildred’s pleased, hopeful look sent the words right out of her mouth. “Very well, done, Mildred. Mr. Rowan-Webb would be quite pleased.”

Julie stepped behind Mildred and planted a loud kiss on top of her head. “Did you help with dinner?”

“Not much. It was mostly HB and Miss Pentangle. I just set the table.”

“Well, I could come home to this every night.”

Hecate took over the pasta, pouring the ziti into a pan, covering it with the sauce and adding a thick layer of cheese over all of it. Waving her hand over the pan, Hecate sent a stream of magic across the top, melting the cheese until it was brown and bubbly. Pippa tossed and dressed the salad. Once she was certain everything was ready, Pippa waved her fingers and filled four plates. In moments they’d all crowded around the tiny kitchen table.

“I thought you lot weren’t supposed to do magic,” Julie scolded.

Pippa grinned. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“I never knew you could cook, HB,” Mildred said, after her first bite.

“It’s not so different from potions.” Hecate said, unable to hide a small, pleased smile.

“Maybe while we’re still here we can talk Hiccup into making her famous lemon bars.” Pippa added. “They’re quite delicious.”

Mildred poked at her food with her fork. “How much longer are you staying?”

Hecate looked for impatience or other signs Mildred had tired of her presence. She found none, just Mildred’s normal curiosity.

“I’m so glad you asked that, Millie-bear.” Julie retrieved the notice from the bedroom and handed it to her daughter. “Hospital’s asked me to go to a conference in Frankfurt day after tomorrow, and I thought I’d ask Hecate to stay here with you while I’m gone.”

Of all the reactions Hecate expected Mildred to have, bouncing eager brightness was not among them.

“Well, I guess that’s settled, then.” Julie winked at Hecate.

Pippa leaned over and whispered into Hecate’s ear. “Try not to look so shocked, darling. You are the only one who didn’t know she’d be thrilled.”

Hecate released a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. The rest of the meal passed in relaxed conversation – Mildred excitedly planning ways she and HB could pass the week.

“I thought,” Hecate interjected, before Mildred could plan another activity, “that Thursday might be a good day for us to visit Miss Mould. I’m sure Mildred could stay with Ada.”

“But…can’t I go with you, HB? I won’t get in the way, honest.” When Hecate’s eyebrows crinkled into a frown she turned to her mother. “Can I go, Mum? I want to see Miss Mould again!” Mildred looked back and forth between Hecate and her mother. “Please?”

Julie opened her mouth to answer, but Pippa cut her off. “That might be a good idea, actually.”

“What?” asked Hecate and Julie.

“It just occurred to me that Miss Mould was very fond of Mildred. She gave up her magic for her, after all. Perhaps she might be more inclined to help us if she were reminded _who_ she was helping?”

“But…” Hecate tried to formulate an argument that would not remove that bright smile from Mildred’s face. She sighed. Her life had been much simpler before she worried about things like Mildred Hubble’s smile. She glanced at the girl’s hopeful expression. Simpler, perhaps, but not nearly as bright – and she was determined to be brighter. “It would be acceptable to me,” she heard herself say. “If that is agreeable to you, Ms. Hubble.”

Julie raised her eyebrows at Hecate. “Well I don’t know, _Miss Hardbroom_ , do you expect anything,” she glanced at Mildred, “unsafe?”

Hecate considered the question. “I shouldn’t think so. We’re just asking for some names.”

“All right then, love, you can go. But,” she pointed a finger at her daughter. “You do as Hecate says. She’s…she’s doing me a big favor looking out for you…while I’m gone.”

“I will, Mum, I promise. Hanging out with you is going to be the bats, HB.” Mildred returned to eating with gusto. She didn’t notice the wistful look that flickered across her mother’s face, or the quick squeeze Julie gave Hecate’s hand.

Julie pretended not to notice the minor emotional breakdown Hecate seemed to be having. Instead, she cast about for any other topic of conversation. “Oh! I’ve just remembered!” Everyone turned to look at her expectantly. “Did any of you lot read the Telegraph today?” All three witches gazed at her with blank expressions. “I thought you were looking for information?” She shook her head. “No wonder newspapers can’t make a go of it anymore.”

“What was in the paper, Ms. Hubble?” Hecate drawled in her best ‘Miss Hardbroom’ voice.’

There’s our girl, Julie thought with a smile. “There was an article about some vandalism at one of the gardens – the Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, I think. I don’t usually read the Daily Mail, but someone left it in the lounge, so I read it on me lunch break.” She hopped up from the table and rummaged through her shoulder bag, returning a moment later with a rumpled newspaper. Smoothing it across her lap, Julie flipped through the pages until she found the article she was looking for. “Here we go. ‘Vandals Strike Kew Gardens.’” She pointed to the article. “You can read it yourself, but the short story is somebody broke in to the Herbarium and tossed it.” Pippa summoned her reading glasses with one hand and reached for the newspaper with the other.

“The Herbarium, you said?” Hecate looked thoughtful.

“Right. I didn’t think much of it until I read the quote by one of the botanists.”

Pippa’s finger skimmed the article. “Dr. Piety Pendragon. She says they caused such a mess they can’t even tell if anything is missing.” She handed the paper to Mildred and placed her readers on the table, much to Hecate’s disappointment.

“That’s the one. Piety Pendragon – if that’s not a witching name I’ll eat your hat, Pentangle.”

Pippa frowned, chewing at her lip. “Wasn’t there a Piety Pendragon at Amulet’s, Hiccup? A year or two above us, perhaps?”

Hecate thought a moment before her face darkened. “Yes, there was.” Hecate swallowed – hard – before continuing. “She was one of those…parasites trailing along behind Agnes Monkshood.”

Pippa saw the change immediately and pulled her chair even closer to Hecate’s at the tiny table. She draped an arm across Hecate’s shoulders and leaned in close, aware of Mildred’s wide eyes watching intently. “I remember them now, Hiccup. They were some of the worst, weren’t they?” Hecate nodded, eyes closed against painful memories. “I want you to listen to me, Hecate,” she reached out and placed her fingers under Hecate’s chin, forcing her to meet her eyes. “Look at me, darling,” Hecate opened her eyes, afraid to see the pity in Pippa’s when she looked at her. There wasn’t any, somehow there never had been. “Those girls don’t matter now, Hiccup. They never did. Even then you were the witchiest witch and everybody knew it, my love. They were cruel to you because it was the only time they could ever feel like anything more than the nothings that they were.”

Hecate took a deep breath, breathing in for a count of five and then slowly releasing it over a count of five. She did this three times before she tried to speak. “Thank you, Pipsqueak.” She avoided looking at Mildred entirely. “Was it only the Herbarium? Not the Fungarium or the Spirit Collections?”

Accepting Hecate’s need to change the topic, Pippa leaned back in her own chair, stabbing at her salad with her fork. “It didn’t mention those, no.”

Hecate pushed herself away from the table and started pacing the tiny living room. “Okay, that tells us something…Are Dimity and Algie still researching spells that could free Agatha from the picture?”

“As far as I know,” Pippa said.

“We need to tell them to look for potions, as well.” Hecate continued to pace.

Julie shook her head. “Slow down, Hecate, I’m not following.”

“You think somebody tried to steal a potions ingredient, don’t you HB?”

“Very good, Mildred,” Hecate couldn’t stop her flicker of a smile when the girl sat up straighter and beamed. She returned to her seat at the table. “The Royal Botanic gardens aren’t just used by ordinary people – they’re used by the witching world as well. No point in having two, after all. I don’t think this was vandalism at all, Pip. I think it was a theft. I think all the…” she waved her hands around, “all the disorder was simply to make it hard to find what was missing.  We need to find out what is missing. It would have to be something old and rare, something you wouldn’t be able to find in the wild anymore.”

Pippa nodded. “It would also be something used in its dried form, yes? That’s how the Herbarium samples are stored, isn’t it? Pressed and dried?” Hecate agreed. “I think we need to talk to Piety Pendragon.” Pippa winced as Hecate blanched at the idea. “I need to talk to Piety Pendragon. I wouldn’t subject you to that – even to save Cackle’s.” She winked at Hecate’s look of relief. “Besides, maybe if I turn on the charm, she’ll tell me everything we need to know.”

“Why wouldn’t she? She was your friend, Pip, I’m sure-”

“Hecate.” Pippa’s voice sounded frustrated and angry. “I have told you this before – many times. I had ‘ _hangers-on’_ at Amulet’s, too many. I had a handful of friendly acquaintances. But I had exactly the same number of friends in school as you did: one.” Her voice softened. “I had one brilliant, beautiful, wonderful friend – and she was all I needed. She’s still all I need.” Giving Hecate a moment to process, Pippa turned to Julie and grinned. “No offense, Hubble.”

“None taken, Pentangle. I’m quite comfortable in my position of third wheel.”

Hecate could feel the heat radiating off her face. “Thank you, Pipsqueak,” she whispered. She chanced a look across the table at Mildred. The girl was smiling shyly back at her, looking pleased. “How about I clean up and then we can do something fun?”

“How about we clean up while you go mirror Ada? Tell her what you’ve figured out. Unless someone at Cackle’s knows Piety any better than we do, I’ll go visit her while you lot are at Miss Mould’s. We can kill two ravens with one spell.”

 

 

“What if she only wants ice cream for dinner?” Hecate asked, fighting down a rising sense of panic the closer it came time for Julie to go.

“Then tell her ‘no,’ Hecate – unless that’s what you want to eat as well, then, have at it. You’ll be the one who has to deal with her bouncing off the walls all night.”

“What if she gets sick? Or, or wants to go on a date?”

“You’re a potions mistress, aren’t you? Make her a potion. And, honestly, Hecate, a date? Who’s going to ask a thirteen-year-old on a date in the next three days?”

“You know I’m right here, don’t you? I haven’t accidentally taken an invisibility potion?” Mildred looked back and forth between her mother and Hecate. She and HB were sitting on Julie’s bed, drinking hot chocolate while her mother finished packing for her conference. She was pretty sure HB was having a nervous breakdown.

“Sorry, Millie-bear. Hecate’s a wee bit nervous. Running a school’s not quite the same as just taking care of you, love.”

“Wouldn’t just me be easier?”

“Hardly,” Hecate said into her mug.

Julie reached over and smacked Hecate’s foot. “What Hecate means to say…is that it’s different and sometimes things that are different can be scary. Even for her.” Frankly, she’d been expecting this moment of panic to come, especially since Pippa had been forced to return to Pentangles to deal with an unexpected staffing issue. She would never characterize Hecate as codependent – not at all – but Pippa most definitely brought a soothing balance to the jangly, spiky, potions mistress. “It will get better once Pippa gets back tomorrow.” She traded one blouse for another – a swap she’d made four times already. “By the way, why don’t you move back to your room tomorrow night, Mil. Let HB have my room. That way, when Pippa gets here she won’t _have_ to sleep on the couch.” Julie waggled her eyebrows at Hecate – grinning at the flush that traveled up her scowling face.

Finally satisfied, Julie zipped her suitcase closed and hauled it to the bedroom door. She flopped down on the bed where it had been. “You two will be fine, Hecate. Millie’s going to be on her best behavior, right?” She looked pointedly at Mildred, who nodded vigorously. “And…you can always text and we can mirror chat and if all else fails…you lot can go to Cackle’s where you can get some help. But you won’t need it. I have faith in you, Hecate.”

She said it in such a way that Hecate knew she was talking about more than just the next few days. If she were honest with herself, Hecate knew that she was nervous about more than the next few days as well. “We’ll be fine,” she said, then cleared her throat and said it again more confidently.

“You will. Okay, Millie, go get your shower. Just put your mug in the sink.”

“Yes, mum.” She slid off the bed and headed to the kitchen. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, really, but when she walked past her mum’s bedroom she couldn’t help but hear HB’s nervous voice. She stopped to listen, wondering what else HB was afraid she’d do.

“Julie…about Pippa…staying here…in here… I don’t…that is to say…I wouldn’t…”

“Hecate. Relax.” She shifted over until they were sitting side-by-side. “You two need to move at your own pace, love. You stay in here. If you need for her to stay on the sofa, she’ll stay on the sofa. And she’ll be happy to do it. But maybe, she could stay in here for a cuddle. Or maybe a little more. Whatever you both are comfortable with.” She bumped Hecate with her shoulder. “If it makes you feel better, you can always tell her I have a rule that nobody shags in my bed but me.”

“Mum!” Mildred shrieked before she could help herself.

“Merlin’s balls!” Hecate moaned, burying her face in her hands.

“Mildred Hubble! Get in here!” Julie hooked a finger at Mildred as soon as her face peeped around the doorway. “What have I told you – what have we told you – about eavesdropping on other people’s private conversations?”

Mildred looked at her feet and twisted the hem of her t-shirt. “That it’s not polite and can hurt people’s feelings.” She looked up at Hecate, still slumped forward, shoulders shaking. Mildred’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry, HB, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” She sniffled and crept closer to the bed.

Hecate lifted her head, tears streaming down her face, but to Mildred’s shock, she wasn’t crying, she was laughing. “I wish I had a picture of that face! Oh, Goddess!” she gasped, pointing at Mildred.

“Are you okay, Hecate?” Julie stretched a hand out but didn’t know what to do with it, so she dropped it back into her lap.

Hecate tried to stop laughing, but she made the mistake of looking at a baffled Mildred Hubble and lost it all over again. “It’s just so…ridiculous!” she said, gasping for breath. “Seriously? I’m fifty years old and getting the sex talk from Mildred Hubble’s mother and Mildred’s the one who’s mortified?” She lost herself in another fit of giggles.

Julie blew a great gust of air out of her lungs. “There, Millie, do you see what you’ve done with your eavesdropping? Now she’s broken.” She tried to sound stern, but Hecate’s giggles were contagious.

Somewhere between hyperventilating and calming down, Hecate started to hiccup. “There we (hic)  go, right on sched- (hic) schedule.”

“So… you’re not mad?” Mildred’s eyes darted back and forth between her mother and HB. Frankly, this hysterical laughter coming from Miss Hardbroom was the most terrifying thing she’d seen in her entire life.

“What’s the (hic) point? I can’t put you (hic) in detention. We’ve been stuck in the (hic) flat all week. Send you to your room? (hic) I’m already staying there.” Hecate sucked in a deep breath and held it, hoping that would stop the hiccups. It didn’t.

“Oh, we can still punish her, Hardbroom, don’t you worry.” Julie folded her arms across her chest. “If she wants to listen in on the big girl’s conversations, then so be it. I think it’s about time we had the full-on sex talk, so she knows how her mum got her in the first place.”

“No…” Mildred said, shaking her head.

“Or we could trade stories about each humiliating time something went horribly wrong with our periods? I’ll start with this one time, at Easter mass…white dress…” Julie interrupted herself with her own laughter.

“Why do you think I always wear black?” Hecate asked, before holding her breath again.

“That’s okay, mum. I really don’t-“ Maybe being a frog or bat hadn’t been so bad?

“What about all those weird little hairs that start showing up around forty? Right when your eyes start going bad so you can’t even fix it.”

“At least (hic) you’re a blonde…” Hecate held up the end of her own dark braid and eyed Mildred. “Shall I tell you what we dark-haired girls get to look forward to?”

Mildred shook her head so hard her plaits went flying. “No, Miss Hardbroom. I’m sorry I eavesdropped, Miss Hardbroom. I’m going to take a shower now, Miss Hardbroom, Mum.” With that Mildred fled the room, trying to block the sound of the grownups’ laughter.

“What’s the matter, Millie?” Julie called after her. “Don’t you want to know everything you’ve got to look forward to?” She burst out laughing and flopped onto her back. “That was bloody brilliant! Surely we’ve traumatized her enough she’ll think twice about listening in.”

Hecate blew out another gust of air she was holding; after a few seconds of nothing she hiccupped again. “Blast,” she summoned a glass of water and drank it in one go. “Don’t blame me when she needs therapy.”

“I guess that’s why Pippa calls you Hiccup?” Hecate nodded. “Feeling better, then?”

“I think so. I needed that.”

“It’s good to hear you laugh, Hecate. I don’t think you get to do it often enough.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had things I could laugh about – or people to laugh with, really.”

“I don’t think that second bit’s true. I think you just need to let the people who care about you in. Look what’s happened when you did that with Millie?” Julie glanced at the clock on the wall. “Would you look at the time. What time did Pippa say she would be here in the morning? I can’t believe the bloody hospital wouldn’t cough up the dosh to fly me to Frankfurt and I have to take the bloody train.”

“About eight-thirty, I think.” Hecate had been shocked to learn that, at some point during their estrangement, Pippa Pentangle had learned to drive a car. Hecate hadn’t seen the point in it, especially since she didn’t own one, but nonetheless Pippa had a license. She’d volunteered to drive Julie to London so she could catch the Eurostar to Frankfurt. From there she planned to make the trip to meet with Piety Pendragon. The thought of Pippa meeting with one of their old schoolmates started a cold, leaden feeling growing in her belly. Those old fears that someone would finally make Pippa realize that she could do so much better than Hecate flared again. In truth, they had never really gone away.

“Wherever you’re going in that head of yours, just stop.” Julie said. “Everything is going to be fine.” She sat up and scooted over until their shoulders were touching. To her surprise, Hecate didn’t lean away; in fact, Julie would swear that she leaned in, just a smidge. “You can handle a few days with Millie. And you can handle being with Pippa. The only one with any doubts about any of it is you.” She smiled encouragingly at Hecate. “Do you remember what I told you the very first day we met?”

“You told me I should conjure myself up some manners.”

“That I did – and you managed to do so. Sort of. Sometimes. Now I’m going to tell you something else: conjure yourself up some bravery. That’s the only thing you’re lacking.”

Hecate nodded and allowed herself to be hugged. She even managed to hug Julie back, just a little bit.

 

**Chapter 2**

Pippa shifted Julie’s car into park. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No,” Julie said, unclenching the armrest. “That just took ten years off my life, that did.” She turned in the passenger seat so she could make eye contact. “You’re sure you have a driving license? A real one? You didn’t just magic up the card?” Pippa’s throaty laugh did not engender any confidence at all in Julie, but she decided to let it go. “You’re still staying at the flat tonight, right?”

“Yes. Everything at Pentangle’s is sorted for now. How’s Hiccup holding up?”

“Working herself into a right terror about the whole thing. She’ll appreciate the friendly face.”

“I hope so.” Pippa frowned. Everything was still so new between them. Sometimes she still felt like she was finding her way down an uneven path in the dark. “I hope me being there doesn’t stress her out even more.”

“I’m sure it will,” Julie said, chuckling. “You two have to learn to fit together again on an everyday basis. That’ll take some time, love. I know I didn’t read her letters; I’ve only got the bits and bobs you told me, but the fact that she wrote them – over the course of thirty years…You’ve always been her port in the storm, Pippa. Even when you weren’t there.”

Pippa brushed a tear off her cheek. Maybe Julie’s right, she thought. Maybe… Pippa summoned a small pink journal into her hand. “I wonder if I could ask your opinion on something?” Julie glanced at the journal and nodded. “I’ve been…arguing with myself over something…maybe it’s silly…but, you see, once I read Hiccup’s letters…well, I didn’t write letters, but…”

“You kept a diary?”

“I didn’t have anyone to talk to, I’d always talked to her. It’s the only time I’ve ever really written about my feelings. Once I filled the book up…” She shrugged her shoulders. “I put it away. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I didn’t remember it until I was reading Hiccup’s letters. They were so personal, and private, but she let me read them anyway. I know you know her well enough to know what a tremendous leap of faith that was for her. Now, I can’t get it out of my head that it’s only fair for her to get to read mine. That it’s not fair that she revealed so much of herself and I didn’t.”

“What’s the problem then? What’s in there that has you so worried?”

Pippa stared out the windshield at the street, flipping the pages of the journal with her thumb. With a jerk she thrust the book into Julie’s hands. “Pick a page. It doesn’t matter which one. Read it.”

Julie opened the book towards the front. “ _I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! Why didn’t I listen to all those girls who said she wasn’t worth my time!_ ” Julie slammed the book closed and looked at Pippa. She was still staring out the window, arms crossed protectively over her chest. Julie could see the muscles in her jaw working furiously beneath her skin. She opened the book again, this time in the middle. “ _I wish we’d never met, Hecate Hardbroom. I would have been so much better off!_ ” She closed the book again and handed it back to Pippa. “It’s like that all the way through?”

“Every page. I reread it last night while I was at Pentangle’s. I can’t even say it isn’t true, can I? Only that it was true at that particular time, but…”

“You can’t let her read this, Pippa. It would kill her. The things you said…” Another tear rolled down Pippa’s cheek. She didn’t bother to wipe it away this time. “Look, I understand, and there’s nothing wrong with what you wrote. It’s what you felt at the time.” Julie tapped the diary with her finger. “You were what, fifteen? Sixteen? You were hurt and you were angry. You needed to get those feelings off your chest. You both did the same thing, really. She poured her love for you into those letters because she had no one else to talk to. You talked to your mum about things though, didn’t you?” Pippa nodded. “But not the anger. You couldn’t bring yourself to say those things about her so instead you poured your anger into that journal.”

“I suppose you’re right, but in all fairness-“

“NO. You asked me my advice. This is it: never, ever let her see this. Do you think there’s anything in that journal that she doesn’t already believe about herself? And if there is, do you really think she needs to add it to what’s already there?” Her phone beeped an alarm. “Bloody hell, I have to go or I’ll miss the train. Pop the boot?” She opened her door and got out.

Pippa pulled the lever. She heard Julie pulling her suitcase out, and in a second or two the boot slammed shut. She jumped when Julie opened the driver’s door and squatted down so they were at eye level.

“You have to make your own choice about showing her. You already know what I think about it. I know you don’t think it’s fair for you to keep it from her after she’s bared her soul to you the way she did. I get it. But think about this: sometimes what is fair isn’t the same as what’s best.” She stood up, groaning slightly. “Give them both my love when you get there. Oh, and by the way, I told Millie to shift back to her room so Hecate could have mine. In case you’re tired of bunking on the sofa.” She winked lasciviously before closing the door and heading for the station.

She was just about to head inside when she heard Pippa’s voice calling to her. “You’re incorrigible, Julie Hubble, absolutely incorrigible!” She tossed a two-fingered salute Pippa’s way and headed for her train.

 

 

They weren’t kidding, Pippa thought as she tried to find a parking space at the botanical gardens. There was no parking. She gave up looking for free parking and resigned herself to paying seven quid to use the car park on Ferry Lane.

Finally parked, with only one _tiny_ scrape she’d had to magic off the car, Pippa took a moment to collect her thoughts.  Not for the first time since dropping Julie at the station, Pippa wished she’d taken the car back to the flat and gotten her broom. She turned the car off and sent the keys into the ether before turning her attention to the journal. She’d spent the whole drive to Kew thinking about what Julie had said. _What’s fair isn’t always what’s best_. Julie was right, and Pippa knew it. Her greatest challenge had always been Hecate’s unshakeable belief that she was somehow unworthy of Pippa. Too cold, too angry, too gangly, too awkward, too dark – Hecate had always seen their differences as flaws on her part. Pippa, though, Pippa had always thought their differences were what made Hiccup wonderful.

She turned the journal over in her hands. Was there anything written on these pages that would help her convince Hiccup that she was worthy? No, she knew that there was nothing but angry words that would only strengthen Hiccup’s feelings of worthlessness. Julie was right. Hiccup could never see this. Pippa stepped out of the car and looked around. The lot seemed deserted for the moment. She set the book down and waved her fingers. A thin wisp of smoke began rising from the binding and in a few seconds, Pippa watched as a line of sparks traveled from one corner of the book to the other, eating the pages and leaving a fine, dark ash on the ground in its place. In a moment the whole thing was gone. With another twitch of her fingers a tiny gust of wind swirled around her ankles, scattering the ashes.

She took a deep, cleansing breath and smiled. Happiness bubbled around in her chest - like getting rid of the book also got rid of the dark, angry feelings in its pages. It felt like a new start. Destroying the diary may not have been fair, but it most certainly was best.

She looked down, checking her appearance one last time: a pink, floral sundress with a white cotton jacket over the top, her half of the Twin Pin fastened in its regular place. She looked like anyone else visiting the gardens on a warm summer day. She started up the road to the entrance gate and, once inside, made her way to the Herbarium, where she expected to find Piety Pendragon.

 

 

“I’m sorry, Miss…Pentangle? The Herbarium is available only by appointment, and since the incident we’ve cancelled everything until we sorted everything out.”

“Yes, I know, but if you could just let Dr. Pendragon know that I’m here?”

“Pippa? Pippa Pentangle, is that you? As I live and breathe!”

Pippa looked up to see a short, frumpy woman in horned-rimmed glasses waving down at her. “Piety!” She waved back, forcing enthusiasm. “Just the woman I was looking for! Do you have a moment?”

“For you, Pippa, I have ages! Come on up!” She gestured to a wrought-iron staircase.

“Is there somewhere private we can talk?” Pippa smiled saccharine-sweet at the young man who’d tried to prevent her entry.

“Hang on,” Piety pulled out her phone and sent a quick text before winding her way down the stairs. “Pippa!” She held her arms out for a hug; stiffly, Pippa complied. “Let’s go to my office.” She led them a winding trail through the building, stopping here and there to check on the clean-up progress. Finally, she opened a door and ushered Pippa in to a bright, cluttered space that smelled strongly of paper and plants. She waved her hand and a stack of folios floated out of the chair in front of her desk and onto the floor. She gestured for Pippa to sit down and then unceremoniously flopped into her own chair. “I tell you, Pip, I’m knackered.” She rolled her shoulders before leaning forward and sliding her glasses onto the top of her head. “I’ll hazard a guess that this is not a social call, after all these years.”

“I’m afraid not. I need to know what plants were stolen, Piety.”

Piety waved her hands again, and Pippa felt the weight of a silencing spell settle around them. “What makes you think anything was stolen?”

Pippa held back a sigh. “How well do you keep up with the goings-on in the witching world? I know you spend most of your time here. Do you recall hearing about the attack at Cackle’s Academy a bit over a week ago?”

“I did. Bad business that was, weren’t people hurt?”

“Several. What the papers didn’t mention is that something was stolen there, too.” Pippa thought for a moment about how to proceed. “I’m not at liberty to say what was taken, but based on that, when we heard that there had been a break-in here, where the Witches’ Repository of plants is located…Well, we fear that someone is trying to undertake a very…particular type of potion. If we knew what plants they were looking for, then perhaps…”

“Perhaps you can stop that potion from ever getting brewed,” Piety finished for her. She scrubbed her hand across her face before summoning a folded slip of paper. “Here’s what I’ve discovered so far. If I figure out anything else is gone, I’ll let you know. Whatever they’re brewing, it’s pretty dark stuff judging from those ingredients.” She handed the paper over. It took everything Pippa had not to read the list at once. “So, what’s your stake in this? You’ve got your own school, don’t you? You’ve got no affiliation with Cackle’s?”

Pippa sat up a little straighter. “Hecate is at Cackle’s. She’s the Deputy Head. She’s also one of the people hurt in the attack.”

“Hecate Hardbroom? I haven’t thought about that old lamppost in years,” she said, chuckling. She didn’t notice the coldness that settled on Pippa’s features, or the increase in static electricity in the air. Or the slight smell of ozone. “I thought you were well and done with that nightmare when she left you high and dry at the broomstick display. How’d she manage to claw her way back into your good graces?” She finally noticed that several items on her desk were vibrating. Too late, she realized her mistake.

“I begged and pleaded and fought and clawed my way back to her until she let me back in to her life.”

“Look, Pippa, I didn’t mean anything by it. I know you’ve always had a soft spot for that…for Hecate, ever since we were all friends back at Amulet’s.”

“You were never her friend, Piety. That means you weren’t ever mine, either. I’m only here because we needed this information and there was no way in hell I was ever going to subject her to the likes of you again.” Without another word, she raised her hand and transferred herself back to Julie’s car.

 

 

An hour later, Pippa had parked the car back in Julie’s assigned spot and magicked away a slight dent, because, really, who puts support beams that close to the parking spaces?  She transferred unnoticed into the Hubble’s flat, just outside the living room. She paused a moment, taking in the scene in front of her: Hecate and Mildred sat at the kitchen table, putting together a jigsaw puzzle. She was just about to say hello when Mildred spoke.

“Can I ask you a question, HB? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. It’s just…I’ve been thinking about it since last night.”

“If I said ‘no,’ would you ask it anyway?” Hecate kept her focus on the puzzle.

“No, Miss. Not if you didn’t want me to.”

Hecate raised her head at this. The girl’s face was serious. “Very well, then. Ask your question.”

“Were you bullied when you were in school?”

Very slowly and very deliberately, Hecate placed her puzzle piece on the table. “Mildred. Hubble. I don’t-“

“You don’t have to answer, Miss Hardbroom, really you don’t. It’s just…I kept thinking about what Miss Pentangle said, about that Pendragon lady and her friends being the worst and I…”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes, Mildred, I was. I was taller than everyone else, too skinny, with old-fashioned clothes. I was always too serious, too severe, and when I did speak, I inevitably said the wrong thing. It all made me a very easy target for the other girls. It’s not a subject I care to think about. Why do you ask?”

Now Mildred squirmed uncomfortably in her chair, studying the table intently. “It’s just that…If it happened to you when you were my age, then you know what it feels like.” She lifted her eyes to meet Hecate’s. “And, if you know how it feels, I don’t understand why you don’t do anything when Ethel does it to me.” She lowered her eyes again. “It’s okay if you don’t have an answer.”

From her vantage point in the hallway, Pippa could see Hecate sitting, still as stone, her eyes lowered and her hands balled into fists. Pippa knew that if she opened Hecate’s hands she would find eight bloody crescents cut into her palms. Tempted as she was to sweep in and save Hecate from this difficult conversation, she knew she needed to stay where she was.

“It isn’t okay, Mildred. Nothing about your situation with Ethel Hallow is okay.” She flicked her wrist and laid her freshly healed hand across the table in front of Mildred, palm up. After a moment’s confusion, Mildred placed her own hand in it, gripping Hecate’s fingers tightly. “As to your question, there are several reasons I don’t interfere. First, from my own experience, when a teacher attempted to intervene, it just made matters worse – and people just waited to catch me alone.”

Mildred nodded. “Ethel’s usually meaner after she gets in trouble, sneakier as well.”

“That’s what I always found. I’ve also found that you are better able to respond to Ethel’s behavior than I was. I’ve always thought that, if I had been able to…learn to defend myself better, then perhaps I would have been…better…in other areas as well.”

“It wasn’t exactly fair, though, was it HB? I’ve only got Ethel to deal with, and I’ve got Maud and Enid on my side. You had all those girls and only Miss Pentangle.”

Hecate blinked and blinked to try and keep the tears filling her eyes from falling. She wasn’t entirely successful. Mildred Hubble. The girl who always chose to be kind. Even to those who didn’t deserve it. She looked at their linked hands. Especially to those who didn’t deserve it. “You are an amazing girl, Mildred Hubble. Please don’t let people like Ethel, or me, take that away from you.”

“How would you take that away?”

“Because the last reason I don’t interfere is that, after all this time, there is still a part of me that is afraid of thirteen-year-old bullies.”

Mildred frowned, thinking about what HB had said. “That’s okay, HB. You’re still the bravest witch I know.” She stood up and flung her arms around Hecate’s neck.

Hecate hardly stiffened at all before she was able to wrap her arms around Mildred, squeezing tight before she pulled away, holding Mildred by her shoulders. “If there is ever, ever a time that Ethel gets too much for you or you want me to intervene, all you have to do is tell me. I won’t hesitate. And Mildred?”

“Yes, Miss Hardbroom?”

“I know it doesn’t often look or feel like it, but, in these disputes with Ethel? I am always on your side.” She gave Mildred’s shoulder one last squeeze. “Now, why don’t you go strip your bed and we’ll make sure you have nice, clean sheets for tonight.” Mildred nodded and bounced into her room, waving at Pippa as she passed in the hallway. Hecate twisted in her chair until she was facing Pippa. “How long were you eavesdropping, Miss Pentangle? Perhaps you should ask Mildred what we do to eavesdroppers around here?”

“Just long enough to know that you handled that beautifully, darling.” She crossed the tiny space and pulled Hecate against her, until her head was resting on Pippa’s heart. “I don’t know why you worry.”

“I don’t want her to end up like me.”

“Nonsense, Hiccup, that’s all I’ve ever wanted – to be like the witchiest witch I knew.” She let go of Hecate, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before settling into the chair next to her. Sensing Hecate needed to move into less emotionally fraught territory, she summoned the paper that Piety gave her at the Herbarium. “Piety sends her regards.”

“I’m sure she does.” Hecate unfolded the paper and studied the ingredients. “Ghost orchid, that’s rare, exceedingly so. It’s used in spells that want to counteract the effects of time, I believe.  It can go thirty years or more between flowerings.”

“Like us then,” Pippa smiled.

“Behave. Spiked rampion… purple cow-wheat…I can see why they broke in to the Herbarium. You’d never find these growing in the wild somewhere, and even if you did, it’s illegal to collect them. Though I suppose someone looking to free Agatha probably isn’t worried about a little plant poaching.  I assume the ‘s’ next to it means they also took what was preserved in spirit?” Pippa nodded. “I need to get this list to Ada so she can pass it on to Dimity and Algie.”

“I’ve already done, darling. As soon as I got back to the car.”

“I still can’t believe you can drive a car.”

“I have many skills, darling,” she dropped her voice till it was low and husky, “I hope to learn a few more soon.”

Hecate glared at her, but the effect was muted by the blush spreading up her throat and cheeks. “I told you to behave. Besides, Julie has a rule that no one gets to shag in her bed but her.”

Just then Mildred walked by carrying the bundle of bedlinens. “Arghhh…I’m not eavesdropping! Why are you talking about that _again_?”

Pippa looked back and forth between them, baffled, while Hecate burst into laughter.

 

 

“Did you get her in bed, at least?” Pippa asked as she made room on the sofa for Hecate.

“The very least. I told her she could stay awake until her mother called and that we’d mirror her back. She wants to know if Maud can come spend the night.”

“Hmm…” Pippa tucked her knees under her, facing Hecate. “What did you tell her?”

“That she had to ask her mother. And that I had to ask you.”

“Clever girl,” she summoned two glasses of wine. “Here we go, to celebrate your first night as magic mum.”

Hecate took the glass nervously. “Do you think it’s okay to drink while I’m supposed to be watching Mildred?”

“Since we’re drinking Julie’s wine, I reckon so.” She held her glass out.

“Oh, well, then…cheers!” Hecate clinked their glasses together and sank down into the sofa, pulling her knees up and leaning against Pippa. “Mmm…” She took a sip. “That’s nice.” She looked at Pippa. “This is nice.”

“More than nice.” Pippa leaned in for a kiss but stopped when she heard the chime of a mirror.

“Pippa?” Piety Pendragon tapped on her side of the mirror. “Pippa, can you hear me?”

Pippa slid off the sofa and moved into view of the mirror, pulling Hecate with her. “Piety? What are you doing?”

“You…left without leaving me a number. I contacted Cackle’s, and the Headmistress patched me through to here.” She looked beyond Pippa now and realized that she wasn’t alone – that the tall, pale woman behind her could only be one person. “Hecate? Is that you, Hecate Hardbroom? Well met.” She quickly brought her hand to her forehead and bowed. “You’re looking…well. Very well.”

Hecate stepped forward, stiffly bending and returning the greeting. “Well met, Piety. Thank you for your help today.”

Piety took in the two witches on the other side of the mirror, both in their night clothes, both holding a glass of wine. _Oh._ “I’m sorry to disturb your evening, but…I discovered another missing specimen: Helichrysum biafranum. I didn’t realize it was gone because it was from the Cameroon collection.”

Hecate frowned. “I’m not familiar with that species. Can you tell me about it?” After a halting start, the two witches were soon lost in a deep discussion of the possible uses the missing specimens could have in potions.

Pippa’s phone buzzed. “Julie! How was the trip? Are you exhausted?” She brushed her fingers along the back of Hecate’s elbow. “It’s Julie,” she whispered. “I’ll set up her mirror call in Mildred’s bedroom. Join us when you’re done.” Louder she said, “Good night, Piety.” She turned back to Julie and swished off to Mildred.

Hecate turned back to the mirror to find Piety staring at her. Her old wariness returned with a vengeance. “What?” 

Piety said nothing for several seconds. “You... Me.” She shoved her glasses up on top of her head. “I’m realizing what a horrible little girl I used to be and that, in refusing to get to know you, I’m the one that missed out. I’m glad you and Pippa worked things out.”

“So am I,” Hecate said, still waiting for the punchline or the prank.

“I’d like a chance to get to know you now, if you can look past how awful I was back then.”

“That…that would be acceptable.” Hecate visibly relaxed as Pippa sidled up beside her.

“I’m glad. Let me know if there is anything else you need. I’ll let you know if anything more turns up missing.” She disappeared from the mirror.

Hecate let out a relieved breath. “That was odd. Why do I feel like you talked about more than plants today?”

“All I did was make my priorities clear, darling.” She picked up her wine glass and handed Hecate hers. “Julie made it fine. She’s checked in with Mildred – and okayed Maud sleeping over if it’s okay with you.”

“In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose.” Hecate gulped half her wine down. “So…I don’t know what to do now, Pipsqueak.” She could feel the heat start to rise up her chest again. Would she never stop this infernal _blushing_? “I don’t want you to sleep on the sofa…but…”

“There’s no pressure here, Hiccup.” She rubbed a hand up and down Hecate’s arm. “Do you remember when we were girls? We’d have sleepovers all the time. We’d sneak something from the kitchens and I’d braid your hair. Then we’d spell the stars on the ceiling and talk all night. Why don’t we do that?”

“That – that would be okay?”

“Oh, darling, that would be more than okay.” She threaded an arm through Hecate’s and lead her down the hallway. “Besides, I’m not about to end thirty-odd years of sexual frustration with Mildred Hubble right down the hall.”

 

 

“Mildred Hubble! Are you ready? We’re meant to be at Miss Mould’s by nine o’clock!” Hecate checked her pocket watch for the fourth time in as many minutes. She heard Mildred clattering down the hallway and stepped out of the doorway just in time to avoid being trampled. The warm serenity she’d felt that morning, waking up next to next to Pippa – well, slightly under Pippa, truth be told – was gone. The blonde witch had managed to drape herself across Hecate at some point during the night. Now, any peacefulness had been scorched away by the stress of having to get Mildred Hubble and herself somewhere on time.

“I’m ready Miss…Hardbroom?” She looked at her teacher, not sure what to say. Hecate was wearing her normal witching clothes, specifically her long, black, tight-fitting dress. “Is that what you’re wearing?”

Hecate looked down at her favorite dress. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing. It’s perfectly appropriate.”

“Maybe if you’re going to the Magic Council, not so much if we’re traveling on the Underground.” She gestured to her own jeans and t-shirt. “Remember? We’ve got to be incognito if we’re traveling among the hoi polloi.”

Hecate looked at her dress again. She’d had this same conversation with Pippa not half an hour ago. Pippa, however, had wisely yielded the field of battle before heading to Pentangle’s to have her staff start researching potions in their library. “Well I don’t know what you expect me to do about it now, Mildred. I don’t have anything but this or the _sweat pants_ I’ve been wearing. You and I are not to use magic if we don’t want a guard from the Great Wizard - summoning up some new clothes would be noticeable.”

Mildred thought a minute. HB really couldn’t ride the Underground in that. “Come on,” she said, dragging Hecate by the hand into her mother’s bedroom. She opened the cupboard and flipped through her mum’s clothes. “Try this,” she pulled out a flowy black skirt, “and this.” She added a jewel-toned tunic. “Just use your usual belt.”

Hecate looked at the outfit Mildred had put together. She had to admit that it wasn’t half bad. “Very well, Mildred, thank you.” She looked at the girl, who stood there looking back at her, pleased grin on her face. “Mildred. I may have lost all privacy where you’re concerned, but I’m not stripping down in front of you.” She pointed to the door. “Shoo!”

Ten minutes later they were barreling down the street, Mildred scrambling to keep up with Hecate’s long strides. To say that Hecate was unfamiliar with public transportation was an understatement. Patiently, Mildred read the map and walked Hecate through the pay cards and turnstiles. In fact, Hecate realized, with no small amount of shame, Mildred Hubble did a much better job explaining the workings of the ordinary world to Hecate than she had ever done explaining the witching world to Mildred. One more part of her life she would have to improve, she thought.

At exactly five minutes after nine, Hecate knocked on Marigold Mould’s door. It opened immediately.

“Well met, Miss Hardbroom, well met, indeed.” Miss Mould bowed deeply.

“Well met, Miss Mould,” Hecate returned, bowing just as deeply. She pulled Mildred in front of her. “I’ve brought someone else who wants to say hello.”

“Mildred!” Miss Mould pulled her into a tight hug, shaking her back and forth. “Look at you! You’re well, yes?” She looked at Hecate. “Both of you?”

“Indeed, Miss Mould. We are well – for the time being. May we come in?”

“Oh, of course, where are my manners? Come in, come in! And please, call me Marigold.” She opened the door wider and ushered them into her flat. “Have a seat,” she waved them towards a tiny sofa in front of a window. “Let me get you a spot of tea.”

Hecate gazed at the apartment. It made the Hubble’s flat look spacious by comparison. The walls and furnishings were violently cheerful. Watercolors of everyday ordinary items covered the walls: a spatula, a taxicab, an umbrella. Marigold had gone to a great deal of effort to transform the dreary little flat into something happy. Not too different from what Pippa and Julie were trying to do with her, she thought.

“I like your watercolors, Miss Mould.” Mildred spotted one of a girl with long, dark plaits. “That one looks like me!” She pointed. Hecate turned to look at it.

“It’s meant to.” At last, the former art teacher’s smile faltered. “When all this gets…too much…it reminds me of why I gave up my powers.”

Hecate thought back to that day. She remembered what it was like to feel the magic draining from her body – painful, cold, dark. There was a different kind of blackness as well. She remembered despairing almost every choice she’d made in her life, knowing she’d never have the chance to rectify any of them. If she hadn’t frozen, would she have been brave enough to give up her magic to the founding stone? She believed that she would. Would she have been brave enough to do as Marigold is now doing? To live in the ordinary world completely devoid of magic? She is certain that she would not. That’s the fate that still gives her nightmares, even half a year later.

“You were very brave to do that,” Hecate said softly. “I can’t express how thankful we all are for your sacrifice.” She looked around the tiny flat once again. The bright colors almost, but not quite, camouflaged the shabbiness of the furnishings. It was time, she thought, that they started expressing their gratitude in more tangible ways.

“And I’m thankful you spoke so forcefully for leniency, Hecate. This is much better than the fate I could have had.” She set the mismatched tea service on the side table.

Suddenly, three figures materialized in the already crowded space. Smoke and sparks filled the air, and a swirl of magic sent all the watercolors flying. The smell of burnt matches was overwhelming. Hecate tried to get off a protective spell, but a blast of hot magic sent her sprawling backwards, her spell bouncing uselessly to the side.

“Look out!” A man’s voice shouted. “That one’s got magic!”

Chest aching so much that each breath burned, Hecate frantically looked for Mildred. She panicked when she didn’t see her, fear driving her to her feet before she spotted her, wrapped protectively in Marigold’s arms while the powerless witch did everything she could to shield Mildred with her body.

If she could just reach them, she could transfer them all somewhere – anywhere. She lunged for Marigold’s leg – she just needed to touch her…Just as Hecate’s fingers closed around Marigold’s ankle, a thick layer of magic crashed over them, trapping them under its weight. Hecate pitched forward, slamming her face painfully into…something? She felt the blood pouring from her nose as she tried to right herself.  The lights dimmed and sound became muffled as the layer of magic curved around them, Marigold and Mildred falling on top of Hecate in a heap as the floor tilted and they were trapped in a bubble made of magic.

“Is it holding?” A woman’s voice asked.

“’Course It’s holding you, daft cow,” another man answered.

Mildred scrambled out from under Marigold and pressed her face to the bubble, cupping her hands around her eyes in the hope that she could get a decent look at their captors. It didn’t do much good; everyone just looked wavy and odd, like Mildred was looking at them through funhouse glass. Behind her, Marigold tried to staunch Hecate’s bleeding nose with a paint-stained cloth pulled from her pocket.

“Did we get that artsy hack?” The woman asked.

Mildred scuttled backwards into Hecate as the man stepped closer to the bubble. “Yeah – and you won’t believe what other fish we’ve caught – Hardbroom and the girl!”

“No!” She moved closer to the bubble, pushing the man aside so she could get a better look. “Mum’s going to be well-pleased with this, Benjy.”

“Bloody well should be! It was right jammy getting all three at a go!” The man called Benjy replied.

“She won’t be if they get out of that thing.” The third figure moved to join the others. “That spell wasn’t built to hold three people – and it sure wasn’t designed for a witch like Hardbroom. We need to get them into the Keep. Now.” He held out his hands and muttered something until the bubble holding them rose into the air and floated towards him, shrinking in size until he could slip it into a pocket of his robe. “Let’s go.”

 

 

**Chapter 3**

“Pick up, pick up…” Julie listened to Mildred’s voicemail message for the third time. She’d already given up on Hecate answering. “Where are you?” Julie chanced a glance back at the hotel clerk. He still looked like he would carry through on his threat to call the police at any minute. Stepping closer to the door, Julie scrolled through her contacts until she found Pippa’s number. If any witch was likely to answer a cell phone, that witch was Pippa Pentangle.

“Well met, Julie!” Her voice sounded muffled, like she was chewing. “How’s the conference?”

“There is no conference! I arrived at the hotel where it was meant to be, but they’re just looking at me like I’m a nutter! I called the hospital and they said I put in for three days of sick leave, but I didn’t. And, and, I can’t reach Mildred or Hecate. No one is answering anything.”

“They were going to see Miss Mould today; maybe they’ve just silenced their phones, or perhaps they left them at the flat. Hang on and let me mirror the flat; we’ll see if they’re still there.” Pippa spun around and faced the mirror behind her desk, tapping it smartly and waiting for the Hubble’s living room to swirl into view. As soon as it did, Pippa gasped. The living room was in shambles: furniture overturned, drawers emptied.

“What’s wrong? Say something, Pippa!” Julie looked over her shoulder; the clerk was rounding the desk, headed her way. She fled to the street outside. “PIPPA!”

“Don’t panic.” Pippa forced her voice to be as steady as she could make it. “Someone’s been through the flat, but I don’t see any sign of Hiccup or Mildred.” She tapped her mirror, switching views from one room to the next. Each one looked the same. She struggled to fight down the panic rising in her chest. What were they caught in the middle of? “Book a ticket home – can you pay cash?”

“I – I think so…but it’ll take me almost two days to get back. Can’t you magic me back faster?”

“It’s too far or I would. Go buy the earliest ticket you can.  Don’t check out of your hotel; just get your stuff and go. Don’t act like anything is wrong.  I don’t want to tip anyone off.”

“Something is wrong, though, isn’t it? Find Mildred. You have to find Mildred for me, do you hear me?” She sucked in a lungful of air, trying not to be sick. “Find them both.”

“We will, just get the ticket. I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to get you back faster. Call me when you know which train you’ll be on. And Julie? Wherever they are, Mildred is with Hecate. As long as she has a single drop of magic in her body, she will keep Mildred safe.”

Pippa reached to her chest, fingers wrapping tightly around her half of the Twin Pin. She closed her eyes and concentrated, imagining the two halves of the brooch coming together. Nothing happened. Not a twitch, not a hum, nothing. Her heart hammered even faster. Even if Hecate wasn’t wearing her half of the pin, Pippa still should have transferred to wherever it was.

Pippa tapped the mirror again, this time summoning Ada Cackle’s office. She wasted no time as the older witch faded into view. “Something’s happened. I’m transferring to the Hubble’s flat. Meet me there now.”

“Miss Pentangle?” Ada stood up from her desk. “Wait! Can you even transfer that far?”

Pippa closed the connection. She didn’t have an answer to Ada’s question anyway. From Pentangle’s to Cackle’s stretched her abilities to their limits, even if Hecate could do it with ease. She pictured Julie’s flat in her mind and, channeling all her love and worry into the magic, waved her hands in the air and vanished.

 

 

Hecate tried not to move, certain that if she did so she’d be sick – and inside this crowded bubble with two other people was no place to chuck up her breakfast.

“Now I know what the little people inside a snow globe feel like,” Mildred groaned.

Marigold moaned, and Hecate realized that the squishy thing she was currently laying across must be her. How unfortunate, Hecate thought, because she still wasn’t about to move. Hecate tried to piece together what had happened in the last few minutes. They’d been trapped in the bubble; some wizard had shrunk the bubble and placed them in his pocket and then had transferred them here, wherever here was. Hecate tried to swallow the queasy feeling into submission. She hated being transferred by others. Hated it.

Transference spells were tricky. Dematerializing oneself came with an inherent amount of risk. A witch had to have faith in her own abilities as well as absolute control over them. Pippa had been the only witch she’d ever felt comfortable transferring her for many years. Ada was the only other one at all. She certainly wouldn’t have allowed some random wizard to transfer her if she’d had the choice.

Once they’d arrived…here… the wizard had taken them out of his pocket and rolled - rolled! – them across the floor like a bocce ball until they’d bounced against something and suddenly sprang back to their original size, still in the bubble.

“Is everybody okay?” Marigold asked from underneath Hecate.

Reasonably certain that everything in her stomach would stay in her stomach, Hecate grunted an affirmative and sat up, sliding off Marigold as much as possible. Parts of her bun were loose and lanks of hair hung in her face. She wriggled her fingers and returned the escaped strands back to the bun.

“My head hurts,” Mildred sat up, clutching at her forehead.

“Let me see.” Hecate pulled the girl’s hand away, wincing when she saw the large, purpling lump above her right eyebrow. A tiny cut was oozing blood out of the middle of it. “You’ve definitely hit your head. Sit still.” Hecate tried to stand up, but a layer of condensation was building up on the inside of the bubble, and the curved surface was too slippery for her boots. She wondered if they were also using up their oxygen on top of everything else. The very idea made it harder for her to breathe.

Marigold managed to heave herself onto her hands and knees. “Have you ever seen anything like this before, Hecate?”

“No.” She pressed her fingertips against the glass-like surface of the bubble. She released a tiny stream of magic through her fingers. It radiated across the surface of the bubble like lightning, only to dissipate with no damage done. A stronger stream produced the same results. “It’s either very old or very new magic.” She flexed her fingers. “I think it’s absorbing my magic.”

Outside the bubble, they could just make out the sound of voices coming nearer.

“I’m telling you, that’s who we have, that Hardbroom bitch and the girl.”

Hecate raised an eyebrow. Benjy, she remembered, that sod of a wizard’s name was Benjy. A door banged open and suddenly the bubble popped, leaving the three of them sprawled on the floor of what looked to be a giant cage. Hecate rose to her knees and checked on Mildred; once again Marigold had placed herself between the girl and their abductors. Marigold rose in Hecate’s esteem with each passing minute.

“There, see? What did I tell you?” Benjy looked scathingly at a skinny, sullen wizard behind him. “Don’t blame me when you couldn’t deliver, Samuel.”

Samuel, the skinny wizard was called Samuel, Hecate noted. She promised herself that they would regret the day Hecate Hardbroom learned their names.

Benjy sauntered up to the cage, all shark-like grin and dead eyes. “Welcome to our home, ladies. I hope you have a comfortable stay – short though it may be. You know, I’ve heard all about you, Hardbroom.  Once your work is done,” he let his eyes roam up and down her body, loosing just enough magic so she could feel everywhere his eyes landed. “We can see what other sort of fun we could have.” The other wizard snickered from the doorway. “Come on, Sam. We need to make sure everything’s ready when mother arrives.” He spun on his heel and stalked out of the room, Samuel slinking along behind him, slamming the door as they left.

Screeching, Hecate threw a white-hot ball of lightning at the door. It hit the wall of the cage and bounced off, ricocheting off the walls, miraculously missing everyone, until it finally hit the floor and sputtered out.

Hecate let out a long breath, counting out for five and in for five, trying to bring her anger and her magic under control.  “Who were those wizards?”

Marigold eased away from Mildred. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen them before.”

“What do you mean you don’t know? That’s why we came. You said you would tell us who is in Agatha’s coven!”

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know, Hecate. Those two weren’t in the coven, as far as I know.”

“As far as you know?” Hecate slammed her fist against the wall of the cage, rattling the whole thing. “This is just like before, Marigold! Half-truths and misdirections! Are you working with the coven again! Once Agatha’s, always Agatha’s?” Blistering pain pulled her attention to her hand. She could see the cross-hatched pattern of the cage burned into her skin.

Marigold stepped around Mildred, moving into Hecate’s personal space, forcing her back until she was pressed against the cage. Hecate tried to keep her skin away from the metal. “Don’t you dare! I gave up everything! Everything – to keep Agatha in that picture. You came to me for help this time and I said yes!” She dug into her pocket and pulled out a folded-up piece of paper and shoved it into Hecate’s chest. “I’ve written every name of every witch or wizard remotely connected with the coven to help you stop Agatha. I’ve paid every day for my actions – the good and the bad. What have you paid, Hecate Hardbroom?”

“Stop it! Stop fighting!” Both witches turned to see Mildred rocking on the floor holding her head. “Stop it.”

Hecate and Marigold looked at each other, all the fight gone from them.

“I’m sorry, Marigold. I shouldn’t have said what I did.” Hecate smoothed her hands over her skirt, a comforting motion she’d had since childhood.

“Me, too. I understand why you wouldn’t trust me. But, I swear, Hecate, I don’t know who those wizards are. It’s possible Agatha has friends outside the coven.”

“Why does it have to be Agatha at all?” Mildred asked. “She’s not the only one in the picture.”

Hecate stared at the girl, speechless, before her lips twisted into a fond smile. “Once again, Mildred Hubble, you manage to be the cleverest witch in the room.” Hecate sorted through her memories of Miss Gullett. For two people who had lived and worked in the same castle for over twenty years, there were surprisingly few. “She may have said something about a brother named Benjamin once, but I can’t be sure.”

“It fits. They’re both gingers, both have nasty personalities.” Marigold placed a tentative hand on Hecate’s elbow. “He wasn’t just looking you up and down, then, was he? He-“

“Yes,” Hecate cut her off and glanced meaningfully at Mildred. “Yes.”

Marigold nodded, squeezing Hecate’s elbow before turning away. “We’ve got to get out of this cage.” She turned back, voice low and angry. “We’ve got to get her out of this cage.”

“For once, Miss Mould, we are in whole-hearted agreement.”

“Can’t you just transfer us out, HB?” Mildred asked.

“I’m afraid not, Mildred. We seem to be in a Wizard’s Keep.”

“What’s a Wizard’s Keep?”

“It’s a cage, of sorts, obviously. They were created by the Great Wizard Faraday in the 1800s. They needed a way to contain witches and wizards who had been accused of crimes. It blocks your magic but doesn’t take it away.” She shifted around so she could see Mildred better. “You may have heard of him. In the ordinary world he was a famous scientist. Microwave ovens use something similar to contain the microwaves.” Hecate motioned for Mildred to join her at the cage. “See how there are three layers of metal mesh? One is silver, one is copper and one is lead. When you stack them together, off-set such as these are, they act like a filter. No magic can pass from the inside to the outside of the cage.”

Mildred started to nod, but the movement pushed her off balance and she dropped to the floor – hard. Her hand grabbed at the wall of the cage, sending a cascade of sparks down on her.

“Mildred!” Hecate pulled the girl away from the wall, checking her hand for any injuries. She used her magic to heal the reddening burn on Mildred’s palm. “What happened?”

“I just got dizzy,” Mildred slumped against Hecate. “I don’t feel very good.”

Hecate waved Marigold over, shifting Mildred until she was leaning against her.  “Mildred, I’m going to check something, okay? I promise it won’t hurt,” she said in her most soothing voice. “I want you to close your eyes for me and leave them closed until I tell you to open them, okay?”

“Okay,” Mildred said, staring up at her with a glazed expression before she closed her eyes.

Hecate knelt in front of her and opened a tiny ball of light in her palm. “Open your eyes.”

Mildred opened her eyes and Hecate watched her left pupil dilate in the light. The right one did nothing. Hecate’s stony expression melted into worry before she could catch herself. She met Marigold’s eyes over Mildred’s shoulder. “That’s fine, Mildred.”

“There’s something wrong, isn’t there?” Mildred asked, gingerly touching the knot on her forehead. “Do I have a concussion?”

Hecate opened her mouth to lie before she remembered that Mildred was a nurse’s daughter. “I think so.” She stood up and looked around the sparse cage. At least there was a blanket folded up on the floor. “Let’s get you a little more comfortable, okay? You need to be still, but try not to fall asleep. Can you do that for me, Mildred?”

“I’ll try. Am I going to be all right?”

Hecate ran her hand across Mildred’s head and down one plait. “Of course you are. Miss Mould and I won’t let anything happen to you.” Marigold helped Mildred shuffle to the blanket while Hecate tucked her in. “Rest now, you’re going to be just fine.”

“I hope you never play poker for money, Hecate. Lying doesn’t suit you,” Marigold whispered once they were on the other side of the cage.

“It’s not a lie. Mildred will be fine. It’s simply a fact that I don’t know how to make happen yet.” With that, Hecate turned her attention to the cage. She tried to remember everything she’d ever heard about a Wizard’s Keep, but, frankly, she’d never paid that much attention to them in the first place. Surely, she should be able to find a way out.

 

 

Pippa crashed into the Hubble’s living room, dropping to her hands and knees and immediately emptying the contents of her stomach onto the carpet.

“Oh, dear,” Ada said, waving away the sick and summoning a moist cloth and some water. “I knew that was too far to transfer.” She helped Pippa to the couch. “Are you all right, dear?”

“No,” Pippa gasped, trying to tame her writhing stomach. “They’ve taken her, they’ve taken all three of them.”

Ada handed Pippa a lemon drop. “Suck on this and tell me everything that’s happened.”

So Pippa did, pouring out everything they’d discovered in the last few days. Ada listened intently, asking questions and adding her own theories and additions.

“I don’t understand why they took her, Ada!”

“Isn’t that obvious, dear? They’ve stolen the picture, they’ve stolen rare ingredients and… I contacted an old friend of mine from the Rare Text Repository….and they’ve had a theft as well – an old book of ancient spells. They kept it hush-hush so there wouldn’t be an inquiry. Add those up, and the only thing you’re missing is a potions mistress.”

“But if they’ve got the book, anyone could brew the potion, couldn’t they?”

“As difficult as it was to get the supplies the first time, I’d gather they wanted the best chance of success and that’s Hecate.”

Pippa knew that was true. Even during their estrangement, Pippa knew that Hecate was the one the Great Wizard turned to when his own potions makers couldn’t brew a necessary potion. She also knew that it was no small bone of contention between Hecate and the Great Wizard that she had refused his appointment to become his lead potioneer. “And Mildred’s what, leverage?”

“I assume so, at this point. Even if they didn’t mean to abduct her, they’ve certainly figured out that Hecate would do as they asked in order to keep her safe.”

“But what happens once this potion is brewed? They won’t need Hecate or Mildred anymore. What then?”

“I think, Miss Pentangle, it would be in all of our best interests to find them before that happens.”

“I agree.” Pippa stood up and tapped on the mirror. In a few seconds Miss Drill swam into view. “Dimity! Well met.”

“Well met, Miss Pentangle. Has there been any news?”

“Not yet. I’m afraid I need some assistance. Can you fly?”

Dimity nodded. “I can fly. My leg’s recovered well.”

“How fast can you get to Frankfurt?”

“Germany?” Dimity looked up at the ceiling, working out the calculations in her head. “Four hours, three and a half with a tailwind.”

“Then I need a favor, Miss Drill.”

 

 

An hour later, Hecate’s hands were burned and bleeding with bruised knuckles and raw fingers. Every time she touched the metal of the cage there would be a different reaction: sometimes heat, sometimes electric shocks. Twice it even felt as though her hand was being crushed.

At first, she’d healed the injuries as she went, but it didn’t take long for her to realize that her magic wasn’t regenerating the way it should. After that, she did her best to ignore the pain in her hands and kept testing the cage for weak spots. Sitting with Mildred, Marigold offered her steady encouragements, but every now and again Hecate would catch a glimpse of Marigold’s face watching her. It seemed that Hecate wasn’t the only one who shouldn’t play poker for money.

“Miss Mould! I think I’m going to be sick…” Mildred was struggling to sit up.

Hecate abandoned her attempts on the cage and grabbed a bucket from the far corner; no doubt it was meant to be used as their toilet, but so far it was empty. She managed to deposit it in front of Mildred just before the girl emptied the contents of her stomach. Once she’d finished, Marigold wiped Mildred’s face with the hem of her skirt and laid her back down on the blanket.

Eyes bright with unshed tears, Hecate smoothed the hair out of Mildred’s face, taking care not to touch the lump over her eye. “I’m so sorry, Mildred. I haven’t done a very good job of taking care of you.”

“We have to get her out of here, Hecate.” Marigold whispered. “She’s getting worse.”

“What do you think I’ve been trying to do, Miss Mould? Having a lark? My magic isn’t working.” She looked away. “And it isn’t replenishing. Too much more and I won’t have any magic, either. Then we’ll be in real trouble.”

“Well, Merlin forbid the great Hecate Hardbroom not have magic. We sure wouldn’t want her walking in poor old Marigold’s shoes, now would we?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Both women’s voices were rising, frustration and fear getting the better of them.

Finally, Mildred couldn’t take it anymore. “Stop it! Please don’t fight again!” She started to sit up, but thought better of it. “So what if we can’t use magic – get over it and just be clever, then! Ordinary people are clever every day.” She scowled up at Hecate. “Mum’s clever.”

Hecate scrubbed a hand across her face, hissing in pain from both her hand and her nose. “You’re mum’s not clever, Mildred. She’s bloody brilliant. No doubt she would have already figured out how to free us.” She played with the end of Mildred’s plait. “We’ll do our best to follow her example, won’t we, Miss Mould?”

Marigold squared her shoulders and nodded. “We will. And we’ll try not to fight.” She raised an eyebrow at Hecate, who responded with rolled eyes and a heavy sigh. “You’ve got the most experience with the ordinary world, Mildred. What do you think we should do?”

“Did you try your phones?” She fumbled in her pockets to find hers. The screen had cracked, but it still fired up when she pressed the button. “There’s no signal. I guess the cage stops that as well.”

Hecate summoned her phone from its usual place and handed it to Mildred, having no idea how to check for a signal herself. Mildred shook her head and handed it back. Marigold’s was the same.

“All right then, no help from the modern technology, no help from magic.” Marigold climbed to her feet and started walking the perimeter of the cage. After two trips around just looking, she reached out and tapped the cage wall with one finger, expecting the same sort of magical backlash that Hecate had been getting. Nothing happened. Glancing back, she saw Hecate watching with renewed interest. She tapped the cage again, this time with her whole hand. Again, nothing happened. Grinning triumphantly, Marigold started pushing, pulling and rattling the cage at every joint and seam. One panel on the back side seemed to have more give than the rest of them. She pushed with both hands. She pushed with her shoulder. She sat on the floor and pushed the bottom with her feet, nearly crying out when there was a sudden snap and the corner bent out a couple of inches.

In an instant both Marigold and Hecate were on their hands and knees, inspecting the gap. Hecate tried to shoot a tiny stream of magic through the opening, but it didn’t work. There may have been a gap in the cage itself, but it wasn’t big enough to interrupt the field of magic.

“Can we make this bigger?” Hecate asked. “Look, you’ve exposed one of the screws that connects it to the floor. Maybe if we get rid of that…” Hecate placed the tip of her finger on the screwhead, gritting her teeth and releasing a stream of magic to try and vanish it.

Marigold pulled Hecate’s hand away the instant she started to smell burning flesh. “Stop it!” She held Hecate’s hand up and examined her finger. The skin was white and peeling away. “Heal that.”

“I don’t want to waste my magic.” She looked at Marigold’s scowling expression. “I don’t want to burn it all up, we might need it.” She stared at her battered hands. “It’s not about not wanting to be like you. It’s just that…without my magic I’m not really bringing anything to the table here.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Hecate.” Marigold turned her attention back to the screw. After a moment’s concentration she popped up onto her knees, pulling everything out of the pockets of her flowing jacket: a paint brush, a pen, two pieces of gum and some tissue that may or may not be used already. Grabbing the paintbrush out of the pile, Marigold ripped out all the bristles and held the paintbrush up to inspect. “This might work. Hecate, stand up and give the metal bit on the end of this a good stomp. Flatten it out as much as you can.” Hecate did as she was asked, and a moment later, Marigold was holding a fair approximation of a flat-head screwdriver. “Let’s see if we can get that screw out. What do you think, Mildred? Are we being clever enough now?”

Mildred didn’t say anything.

“Mildred!” Hecate crawled across the floor, ignoring the agony in her hands. “Mildred!” She tapped on Mildred’s cheeks, leaving smears of blood from her fingers. After an agonizingly long moment, Mildred began to stir. “Come on, Millie, I know you can hear me. Wake up! Do you hear me, Mildred Hubble? I absolutely forbid you to fall asleep. Wake up this instant!”

Mildred’s eyes fluttered open. “Did you call me Millie? Things must be bad.”

Marigold placed a soothing hand on both Mildred’s forehead and Hecate’s knee. “She’s clammy, Hecate. And her color…it’s not good. We’ve got to get her out of here now.”

“Get that gap open.  I have an idea.”

Marigold redoubled her efforts on the screw, making a little progress before the crushed ferrule of the paintbrush started to twist and bend. She was blinking back tears of frustration when a metal hairpin appeared in front of her face.

“Try this. Even if it only works a little bit, I’ve got plenty more.” Hecate wriggled the hairpin hopefully. “It looks the right size.”

“It does.” Marigold shoved the bent end into the slot on the screw and twisted. The hairpin was stiffer than the thin metal of the paintbrush, but she couldn’t get a good angle on it. Another pin appeared in her field of vision.

“Sideways, maybe? Like a cross-piece?”

Marigold slipped the second hairpin in and it did the trick; the screw finally began to twist. In a few minutes she was able to use her fingers to remove it the rest of the way. “Give me some room,” she said, twisting around so she could use her feet to shove the screen further out. It moved just enough for Marigold to slide her hand through.

“That should be enough.” Hecate compared the size of the hole with Mildred’s hand, nodding her approval. “I think that will work. Help me get Mildred over here. We’ll need to get her hand through the hole. As long as some part of her is outside the Keep…”

“You can’t be serious! That girl’s not old enough to transfer! Even if she was, she’s not in any shape to do it.”

“She may not be, but this is.” Hecate pulled the crescent moon pin from her blouse. “Do you know what a Twin Pin is?”

“I – uh – yes. How do you know what a Twin Pin is? Isn’t that magic too modern for you?”

Hecate’s cheeks colored, making her burgeoning black eyes all the more prominent. “I find that I’m learning to appreciate what modern magic has to offer.”

They roused Mildred enough to get her to crawl over to the opening. Hecate wrapped the pin in Mildred’s fingers and carefully slipped her hand outside the cage. “Mildred Hubble.”

Mildred’s brow wrinkled in concentration. “Yes, Miss Hardbroom?”

“Do you remember the star pin that Miss Pentangle wears? The one that goes with my pin?” Mildred nodded. “Good.”

“Wait!” Marigold pulled Hecate to the other side of the cage, whispering furiously. “Are you sure this is a good idea? Do you even know if it will work? If it does, is it going to take all of her, or just the part that’s outside the cage?”

“I don’t know, but what choice do we have? She’s getting worse. I don’t know how to fix what’s happening in her head. I don’t know what else to do.”

“Don’t you think Pentangle will try to use that pin to get to you? Once we send her away with that pin, there’s no using it to find us.”

“I know that.” Hecate stared at the girl on the floor. “I know that, but I’ve made a promise, Marigold, to keep her safe. To be her champion in the magical world. I’m sorry that promise puts you in danger.”

“No. It’s the right thing to do.”

Hecate dropped down beside Mildred again. “Okay, are you ready?” She waited – too long – for   Mildred to nod. “Good girl. Now squeeze the pin in your hand and think of Pippa’s star pin. Imagine putting the two pins together and-“ Mildred was gone. She could only pray that the Twin Pins worked as promised.

“Sooo…Pippa Pentangle?” Marigold asked.

“Shut up.” Hecate concentrated and summoned her phone again. It was getting harder to pull up magic at all. Her reserves were critically low. She tapped a few screens and handed the phone to Marigold. Hold this out of the hole and see if you can get a signal through.”

Marigold did as she was told. She was just about to dial Pippa Pentangle when the door burst open and Benjy strode into the room, causing Marigold to jump and sending the phone skittering across the floor, well out of reach.

“Where’s the girl!” He roared, using his magic to slam Hecate against the cage wall. She just managed to get her hands up between the wall and her face. She screamed as the current scorched through her body. He flung Marigold into the corner, content to get her out of his way. “Answer me!” Benjy sent a white ball of lightning into Hecate, hammering her to the ground, knocking the air from her lungs. Face down, struggling to breathe, she could feel the tendrils of his magic groping her body.

“Stop!” Marigold threw herself between the wizard and Hecate, interrupting the oily flow of his magic. She shuddered.

“That’s enough!” An elderly witch had transferred into the middle of the room. “Forget the girl – we still have leverage enough with the hack.” She stepped closer to the cage, staring balefully as Marigold helped Hecate to sit up. “Welcome to Gullet Manor, Miss Hardbroom. We’ve got a potion for you to brew.”

 

 

“This really isn’t a good idea, Ms. Hubble.” Dimity had to shout to be heard over the storm. “Flying in a little rain is one thing,” lightning flashed, striking a tree nearby, “but flying in something like this is suicide!”

“But they have Millie! I’ve got to get back!”

Dimity could hear the fear in her voice. They were halfway back when they ran into the storm. At first Dimity had hoped it would be small, something they could swing around or wait out. But when Mildred’s mother opened a weather app on her phone, they could both see that wouldn’t be the case.

Dimity’s nerves jangled, more from excitement than fear. She hadn’t flown full out in a good many years. Too many. “All right, but you’re shifting to the front and we’re riding racer-style, no more of this side-saddle. And I can’t keep us dry, not and concentrate. You’re gonna be cold and wet.”

“I don’t care.”

“Okay, then, Ms. Hubble, climb aboard.”

“I think you should call me Julie.”

The rain hit them like an icy blast, chilling them both instantly. Julie was glad to have Dimity leaning over her back; at least that part of her would stay warm. At first, they only had to contend with the rain, but soon they’d traveled into the heart of the storm. Thunder crashed, leaving their ears ringing; a bolt of lightning zagged past them, turning the air thick with the smell of burning ozone.

Still, Dimity flew, casting out with her powers, trying to find a path between the building arcs of electricity. Julie sat like a natural, Dimity thought; if she’d had her powers, she would have been an excellent broomstick rider. That moment of distraction cost them; a bolt of lightning she didn’t feel coming slashed the air in front of them.

Dimity veered hard, the unexpected shift knocking her and Julie off balance. She could feel them both sliding, but the broom was too slippery from the rain to stop it. She teetered off the edge, barely managing to keep one hand on the broom. She looked down to see Julie staring up at her, hands scrabbling at the air as she fell toward the ground.

“NOOO!” She allowed herself to fall as well, willing the broomstick in her hand to swing around beneath her until she could hike a leg across the bristles and pull herself back on board. Immediately, she plunged into a dive, chasing Julie Hubble down, acutely aware of how fast the ground was coming up to meet them.

A broomstick length from the ground, Dimity slammed into Julie, sending their momentum sideways, both of them tumbling over the soggy meadow, rolling headlong across the grass.

When they finally flopped to a stop in the mud, Julie raised her head just enough to get a look at Dimity. “You were right…that was a bad idea.”

“I wasn’t gonna say I told you so…” Dimity groaned. “But I think a piece of me broomstick is stabbing me in the arse.”

Suddenly, the rain stopped and the air got warmer. The women looked up to see a hooded figure standing over them, one hand raised to cast the protective spell that shielded them from the rain.

“You two must be Dimity and Julie. Only a desperate mother and a Star of the Sky would be crazy enough to fly through weather like this.” He knelt down between them and pulled the hood from his face.

Julie studied him; his blonde hair and tanned skin gave him a youthful appearance, but she could tell he was probably a few years older than her own forty-seven years. “Who are you?”

“Oh, sorry. My name’s Peter Pentangle, and my sister’s sent me to fetch you.” He held a hand out and Julie recognized the crescent moon pin in his hand. “This should get us back in a jiffy.” He pinned the moon back to his cloak and grabbed their hands.

Julie felt an unfamiliar twist in her stomach and found herself sitting on the floor of Ada Cackle’s office. Only it didn’t look like her office, it looked like the command center of a war zone.

“Peter!” Pippa pushed past Ada and wrapped her brother in a fierce hug. “I knew you would find them, I just knew it!” She turned her attention to the storm-soaked women in front of her. “You must be frozen!”

A warm gust of air washed over her as the drying spell removed every bit of water from her hair and clothes. “Are they back, then?” Julie asked, shivering in spite of the warmth.

The joyous look that had covered Pippa’s face only seconds before slipped away, replaced by fear and worry. “Only Mildred. She’s got a nasty bump on the head, but she’s all right. She’s resting in the infirmary.”

“But…the pin…” Julie pointed at the crescent moon on Peter’s chest. He gave a start and handed the pin back to his sister.

“That’s how Hecate sent her back. All we could get from Mildred is that they’re in a magic cage somewhere. We think they’re being held in a Wizard’s Keep because we can’t find any trace of their magic.”

“But they have to have their magic, she sent Mildred out.” The color drained from Julie’s face. “She sent her out with the only thing we could use to find them, didn’t she?” Pippa nodded, eyes brimming with tears. “Have you tried the phone?”

“That was one of the first things we tried. A Keep may block cell phone signals as well as magic.”

“But have you tried since they got Millie out?” Julie could tell by their shocked expressions that it hadn’t occurred to them to try again.  Quickly, she fished her own phone out of her pocket. “If somebody’s got ‘em we can’t tip our hand,” she said as her fingers flew over her phone. She opened the ‘find my phone’ app and typed in Hecate’s information. She stumbled only a minute on the passcode. “What’s her cat’s name again?”

“Morgana”

Julie typed in the name. It worked. Well, she thought, it was either going to be that or ‘Pippa’ and ‘Pippa’ didn’t have enough letters. “We need to talk to her about her bloody obvious passwords, but for now, I’m not complaining.” She watched the little compass spin around until it stopped, a map zooming in to a location labeled ‘Hecate’s Phone.’ “There,” Julie held the phone out to Pippa. “She’s there.”

 

 

“It’s three leaves of calendula, two of calla lily.” Marigold hissed. “You’ve got them backwards.” Hecate shook her head. They’d been working on the potion for five hours. Her head and her hands had been aching for six. Her magic was running dangerously low, and she hadn’t had anything to eat since last night. “They’ll kill you if they think you made it wrong.”

“They’ll kill us both, Miss Mould.”

“Probably. So, let’s try to avoid that?”

“What do you think is going to happen once this potion is finished? They aren’t just going to send us back to Cackle’s with a hearty ‘thank you for breaking the Code.’ We know who they are. They’re going to kill us anyway.”

“You’re a regular Pollyanna, aren’t you?”

“I have no idea who that is.” Hecate added the corrected ingredients and stirred thirteen times clockwise, then three widdershins. “I think that’s it.” The potion was inky black until it was stirred. Then, a rainbow of iridescent colors swam through it, like oil in the ocean.

“Step away from the cauldron,” Benjy ordered. “Go get it, Sam.”

Sam edged his way towards the door of the cage. As soon as Benjy had conjured up a roiling black mass of energy and aimed it at the witches inside, he opened the door and levitated the potion out of the cage, cauldron and all. “Got it. Let’s get it to mother, right away.”

“I don’t know, it might be time for a little fun with that potions mistress. You know, my sister always said that what you needed was to get stuffed – proper-like – by a wizard.

“Oh, I don’t think you’re the man for the job,” Pippa Pentangle said as she slammed into the middle of the room, staff in hand, stopping short from her high-speed transference. In seconds, she was joined by Ada, Dimity, Algernon and even Miss Bat.

Ada fired off the first of her power balls before she’d even fully appeared.

Algie sent a surge of power through the Wizard’s Keep, enough to blow the panels apart. As soon as the walls fell, Hecate could feel her magic surging back into her system. She coiled up a spike of magic, ready to hurl it at the potion she’d just finished, but Samuel was too fast. Ignoring everything else, he grabbed the edge of the cauldron and transferred himself away.

Turning to help Marigold, Hecate just caught a glimpse of Miss Bat transferring the art teacher to safety.

“OY!” Miss Drill shouted. “Are you the bloody sod that threw dark magic at me?”

Benjy seemed to have forgotten he was holding a pumpkin-sized orb of dark magic. Belatedly, he tried to hurl it at Pippa, but she was more than ready, focusing a beam of power through her staff and sending it back to him as half a dozen oily shards. He screamed as at least two made contact before he could transfer away.

In the quiet following his departure, the only noise was the sound of everyone’s breathing.

“Hiccup!” Pippa tossed her staff aside as Hecate scrambled over the fallen panels, flinging herself into Pippa’s arms.

Hecate ignored the pain in her hands as she clung desperately to Pippa, needing to feel anchored to something real. “Mildred?”

“She’s fine, darling. You were brilliant sending her with the Twin Pin. She’s in the infirmary at Cackle’s right now.  We’ve got broomsticks ready to get us back to Cackle’s – or transfer distance if you like.”

Hecate nodded and pulled away, smiling gratefully at Ada and Algernon. She looked at Dimity, smiling her crooked half-smile. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so glad to see you, Miss Drill.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever been glad to see me period, Miss Hardbroom,” she answered with a cheesy grin and a wink. “Not like I had much choice. Mr. Monkey would never let me hear the end of it if I let something happen to you.” She summoned a trio of brooms. “Can you ride or do you need to ride double.”

“She’s going to ride double for this trip.” Pippa banished the third broom. “Thank you though.”

The flight passed quickly and once they landed on the front grounds of Cackle’s, Pippa and Hecate transferred straight to the infirmary. Hecate needed to see for herself that Mildred was all right. Julie Hubble was already there, sitting next to Mildred’s sleeping form, smoothing her hair in soft, soothing strokes. Red-rimmed eyes met her own and it was more than Hecate could bear. “I’m so sorry, Julie. I’m so, so sorry.” She waved a hand and vanished, Pippa groping at empty air, not fast enough to catch her arm to keep her from transferring away.

“She feels…responsible…” Pippa supplied.

“She is responsible.” Julie kissed Mildred’s forehead before striding over to where Pippa was standing. “She’s responsible for Mildred making it back in one piece, with nothing more than a bump on the head and a minor concussion out of the whole thing.”

“She won’t see it like that,” Pippa said, sadly. “Let me go find her.”

“She will when I’m done with her.” She placed a restraining hand on Pippa’s arm. “Why don’t you let me go find her. I think we need to talk.”

 

 

Julie crawled out onto the roof, huffing more from the climb than she cared to admit. At least Ada was right. She spotted Hecate, huddled on a bench, folded tightly against herself – almost like she was willing herself to disappear.

Julie eased up to the woman, trying not to startle her. “Don’t transfer away, Hecate. I want to talk to you.” When Hecate didn’t move she closed the gap between them. She’d never seen Hecate look so small, so lost as she did now. “I mean it. Stay.”

As much as Hecate wanted to vanish, she knew she deserved whatever Julie was about to unleash. “I’m so sorry, Julie. I didn’t keep her safe. I didn’t-“ A sob broke through her defenses, then another and another. Without a word, Julie stepped close enough to pull Hecate in, wrapping her arms around Hecate’s skinny frame and resting her chin on her head while Hecate sobbed into her chest. She didn’t try to soothe her or shush her, she just let Hecate cry it out.

Eventually, the sobs slowed down and Hecate pulled away. Or tried to. Julie tightened her grip and spoke into Hecate’s hair. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Mildred is safe. She’s here and she’s awake and she wants to know where her HB is.” She released Hecate and moved to sit beside her on the bench. She reached out to take one of Hecate’s hands, snatching her hand away when she heard Hecate’s sharp gasp of pain.

“What’s…Hecate! Your hands!” Julie carefully lifted Hecate’s right hand, trying to get a better look. “Poof me a light.” Hecate cast a tiny spell and a white ball of light blossomed over their heads. Julie gasped when she saw the damage. “Hecate. Is this more of the dark magic, the kind you can’t heal with your magic?”

Hecate turned away before mumbling “No.”

“Then why haven’t you – No.” She reached out with her other hand and jerked Hecate’s head around so she would have to look her in the eyes. “Heal these. Now.” Hecate didn’t move. “Hecate,” Julie said, softening her tone. “Don’t punish yourself like this. You don’t deserve it. You kept her safe, love. You got her out of there even though it cost you your only way to escape. You sent her. Heal them.” She gestured at Hecate’s hands. “I don’t want her to think that this is okay to do to herself. I know you don’t want that either.”

Choking back a fresh sob, Hecate flooded her hands with healing magic. The burns and bruises disappeared, leaving only a residual ache behind. That would be gone by morning. “She got hurt, Julie. I was supposed to protect her.”

“You did protect her.” She clasped Hecate’s freshly healed hands between her own. “Did you know that Mildred broke her arm when she was three?” Hecate shook her head. “We’d just moved into our flat and I was busy unpacking boxes. I just took my eyes off of her for a minute, but she was out onto that balcony in a heartbeat, climbing up on the railing trying to see over the edge. I ran out there shouting ‘Millie get down’ or something like that. I suppose I startled her, because she tipped right over the edge. I’ve never moved so fast in my whole life – it doesn’t seem possible that I made it, but the next thing I knew I was bent over the railing with my hand around her wrist. I dragged her back on to the balcony, snapping her radius in the process. She wore a cast for six weeks. Did I save her? Did I hurt her? Do I get good marks for rescuing her if it was my fault she was in danger in the first place? I don’t know. I’ll never know. What I do know is that balcony door got a baby-proof lock that stayed on there until she was eight years old. Nobody’s perfect, Hecate. We all make mistakes.” She stood up, dragging Hecate up with her. “Besides, I’m not finding another magic mum at this point. I like the one I’ve got.”

“Even if she thinks you could do better?”

Julie blew a gust of air out of her lungs. “You haven’t heard about our trip back from Frankfurt, I guess? I nearly died tonight. I convinced Dimity to keep flying through a storm and we nearly got hit by lightning. I fell off the broom when we were hundreds of feet in the air. I was falling for a really, really long time – long enough to be glad that Millie would have you and that she’d be ok.”

“How did you survive the fall?”

“Dimity Drill is a heck of a flyer. She managed to get under me and sort of…scoop me up right before I hit the ground. Shifted all that momentum sideways. We still plowed out in some field, absolutely trashed her broom, but…we didn’t die so it was a good day.”

“Star of the Sky, indeed,” Hecate muttered, already girding herself for the bragging that was sure to come the next time she saw Dimity. Oh, well…Dimity earned some bragging rights tonight.

Julie dragged Hecate back towards the window she’d crawled out of. “So…how come you guys never mentioned that Pippa has a brother?”

 

 

Hecate transferred into the middle of her sitting room, exhausted. She’d sat with Mildred and Julie in the infirmary for over an hour, until both Hubbles were drooping with sleep. She wasn’t doing much better herself. Where was Pippa? Being back at Cackle’s left her feeling off-balance and unsettled. She didn’t know what the new rules were. All she knew was that she very much needed Pippa right now. She just didn’t know what the expectations would be, only that she was too tired to try and find her tonight.

She magicked herself into her pajamas as she walked into her bedroom…and froze. There, propped up in the middle of her bed, sat Pippa Pentangle, looking for all the world like she belonged there. Maybe, Hecate thought, that’s because she does.

“Hello, darling, was Mildred glad to see you?” She snapped the book in her hand closed and peered at Hecate over the top of her reading glasses. Those reading glasses! “She kept asking for you the whole time. We probably shouldn’t mention that to Miss Mould.” Flipping the covers back, Pippa patted the mattress next to her. “I don’t know about you, Hiccup, but I could use some sleep.”

Hecate didn’t remember the last few steps to the bed, just that she was crawling in beside Pippa like it was the most normal thing in the world. She curled into her side, laying her head on Pippa’s chest and wrapping one arm around her waist. “Is this okay, Pipsqueak? I think it’s all I can manage tonight.”

“It’s perfect, Hiccup, absolutely perfect.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
